EDUCAUSE, a community of thought leaders and professionals dedicated to advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education, announced a new strategic plan to inspire the transformation of higher education in service to a greater good. The plan focuses on developing, connecting, and empowering members, the greater higher education community and technology professionals of all types to embrace digital transformation across the industry.   

The announcement of the new plan comes as the association celebrates 25 years of supporting higher education institutions and helping them navigate the continual challenges and changes in the landscape. From the ongoing pandemic to increased cybersecurity and privacy risks to new AI technology hitting the market, the industry has been at the center of shifts that are never-ending and constantly evolving with society.   

EDUCAUSE’s new strategic plan aims to guide the association into the future and elevate partnerships with campuses and industry colleagues to co-create solutions designed for the current challenges faced in higher education. The plan includes a new vision, mission and three strategic priorities for the association.   

Vision: 

Inspire the transformation of higher education in service to a greater good.  

Mission: 

EDUCAUSE leads the way, advancing the strategic use of technology and data to further the promise of higher education. We connect and empower our member community through insights, advocacy, resources, and learning opportunities to anticipate trends and strengthen professional practice.  

Strategic Priorities

• Elevate technology professionals, technologies, and data as strategic assets to transform higher education.

Why is this a priority? Because technology leaders need to have a seat at the table when it comes to developing overall institutional strategy. Technology professionals are uniquely positioned to lead efforts to address higher education’s current and emerging challenges.  

• Build institutional capabilities to manage risk and build resilience in an era of systemic change.

Why is this a priority? Risks are evolving as fast as the solutions that help safeguard systems, putting institutions in jeopardy of exposing sensitive data and compromising the organization's operations and reputation. Developing institutional resilience has never been more critical.  

• Influence the evolution of the higher education technology market to better serve institutions and learners.

Why is this a priority? Successfully overcoming challenges related to higher education technology is inextricably linked to positive and collaborative relationships between institutions and private industry partners.  

“The vision for these strategic priorities is rooted in our commitment to building our members up, supporting them, and equipping them with the tools they need to achieve both individual and organizational goals,” said John O'Brien, President & CEO of EDUCAUSE. “Our Strategic Plan is a bold statement of what ultimate success will look like for EDUCAUSE — digital transformation is not the destination but part of a larger transformational roadmap, and this plan will undoubtedly set us down the right path for success in the future.” 

EDUCAUSE’s membership is representative of more than 2,300 colleges, universities, and educational organizations and over 68,000 individual participants around the world — from chief information officers to IT managers and directors to academic professionals.  

To learn more about the strategic plan from John O'Brien, President & CEO of EDUCAUSE, visit: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2023/10/introducing-the-new-educause-strategic-plan